


A.K.A. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

by livingvakariouslythroughyou (supercow585)



Category: Daredevil (TV), Iron Fist (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: 2019 Daredevil & Defenders exchange, A P.I. and a Blind Ninja walk into a room..., Banter, Brotp, Case Fic, Daredevil Bingo, Gen, Gen Work, Getting the Band Back Together, Happy Ending, Human Disaster Jessica Jones, Human Disaster Matt Murdock, Ignoring JJ S3, Post DDS3, Post IF s2, Saltmates, grudingly, pretty much fluff, working together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 15:51:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20410354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercow585/pseuds/livingvakariouslythroughyou
Summary: “So how’d you know about the governor?”Jessica gives him a scathing glare out of the corner of her eye. “I’ll ignore the fact that you know that I’m a P.I. and just assume you sustained some brain damage after that stunt you pulled at Midland Circle which might be affecting your memory. Suffice it to say a pro-bono client tipped me off. And you?” she asks, archly.He gives her an inscrutable grin and a shrug. “I have my sources.”Jess doesn’t even bother to acknowledge his reply with an eye-roll. She knows perfectly well that Karen Page still feeds him information and tips and all kinds of things that her editors would blanch at if he were anyone other than ‘Daredevil’, the patron saint of Hell’s Kitchen, vigilantes, and dumbasses. --In which Jess and Matt learn they're on the tail of the same scandal & decide to join forces, but Danny keeps popping up and ruining their attempts to get clues & evidence. Unless that's not really Danny and it's just *another* super with mystical, Iron Fist-like powers that can somehow shoot bullets? Can they solve the case and figure out the mystery man's identity?Written for the 2019 Daredevil and Defenders Exchange for pogopop.





	A.K.A. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pogopop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pogopop/gifts).

> Written for the 2019 Daredevil and Defenders Exchange for pogopop. Prompt was this: Matt and Jess are on the tail of a scandal, and whenever they're about to get a crucial piece of evidence Danny pops up and they lose the moment. 
> 
> This prompt was wonderful and I loved it from the moment that I read it. Unfortunately, though, I have had some very nasty writers block until very recently, so I apologize that I am only just now posting. The ability to conceptualize and manage time might be one of my biggest failings as a human, so please forgive that fact. I hope you like the direction I took the prompt. When inspiration finally began to hit, I took it and ran with it as fast as I possibly could, for fear it would leave me again as quickly as it had come. I hope this is even a glimmer of what you envisioned when you wrote that prompt. 
> 
> Coincidentally, also fills the "Take care of my city" bingo square on my DD bingo card.

With a quick look over her shoulder at the shimmering Manhattan skyline as dusk falls around her, Jessica forces open the door of the rooftop access to a glittering high-rise in Midtown. Just as she expected, she sees no one, hears nothing, has not been followed. But before she can step inside the door, a shiver runs down her spine causing her adrenaline to spike. She can’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of her head that someone is tailing her, hasn’t been able to since she crossed the adjacent street and made her way up to the roof. That eternally paranoid part of her brain that she (unfortunately) doesn’t ever think will completely die wants to tell her it’s Kilgrave, but the rest of her brain and all the logic within her tries to calm the pounding of her heart that begins every time she even thinks of the combination of those letters in that order.

_ I took care of him and that’s never going to be a problem again _ . She takes a grounding breath as the familiar mantra echoes through her head. Rolling her shoulders, she turns on her heels and strides down the stairs and into the building in search of the information she needs. 

When Jessica finally finds the floor she’s looking for, she does a quick scan to make sure that no security or cleaning staff are anywhere near. Satisfied the coast is clear, she forces open the door of the office suite with a flick of her wrist and tip-toes in. Finding a light-switch directly to the right of the door, she flips one switch on, giving her just enough light to work, but hopefully not enough to draw attention to herself. A bank of computers lines the far left wall,and she slides into the seat in front of the closest one. From the inside pocket of her leather jacket she pulls a carefully folded piece of paper with password scribbled in a sloppy scrawl. She puzzles over a few of the characters but eventually makes them out and enters them into the log-in field. With a deep exhale and a mental cross of her fingers, she hits the enter key and her shoulders sag in relief as she logs into the system. 

Without wasting a moment, she begins searching for the incriminating documents she came for, ones which prove that the governor has been involved in some shady business dealings. But goosebumps rise on her arms suddenly as she gets the feeling that somebody is following her again. She looks up just in time to see someone clad in all black, from head to toe, slinking into the room with cat-like grace. 

Immediately, Jessica shoots up from her chair and assumes a defensive pose. “Listen buddy, I don’t know who the hell you think you are or what the fuck you’re doing here, but I swear if you try to do anything stupid you’re going to wish that you hadn’t,” she snarls at the intruder. 

The man chuckles, causing Jessica to sneer. But she finds him more unsettling than anything else. The cocky, self-assured grin he wears rankles her, but it also feels oddly familiar, and something in her stomach twinges with the hint of familiarity she registers at the sound of his dry laugh. She frowns in confusion as she considers the man and attempts to piece together his identity— his height, his build, the shape of his jaw, the light dusting of stubble on his chin— Jessica blinks as realization dawns. “Matt? What the fuck are you doing here?”

“What? You think you’re the only one that can investigate a dirty politician?” he asks with a smirk.

Jessica rolls her eyes as more realizations come to her, though she breathes an internal sigh of relief at the same time. “So it’s you that’s been following me all night.”

Matt’s face (or what she can see of it behind the black knit ski mask he wears) instantly falls. “I thought I was more subtle than that. But I guess you’ve always had a bit of a knack for knowing when somebody is following you.” 

“Yeah, well comes with the territory. Hypervigilance from PTSD and all,” she deadpans as she turns back to the computer and resumes her search for documents.

Matt crosses the room and sits in the chair opposite her, assuming a carefully casual pose with one foot on his opposite knee. “So how’d you know about the governor?”

Jessica purses her lips and gives him a scathing glare out of the corner of her eye. “I’ll ignore the fact that you know that I’m a P.I. and just assume that you sustained some brain damage after that stunt you pulled at Midland Circle which might be affecting your memory. Suffice it to say a pro-bono client tipped me off. And you?” she asks, archly.

He gives her an inscrutable grin and a shrug. “I have my sources.”

Jessica doesn’t even bother to acknowledge his reply with an eye-roll. She knows perfectly well that Karen Page still feeds him information and tips and all kinds of things that her editors would blanch at if he were anyone other than ‘Daredevil’, the patron saint of Hell’s Kitchen, vigilantes, and dumbasses.

“Well, _Devil Boy_ , do you have the information you need?” 

Matt’s nose twitches at her nickname but he doesn’t take her bait for a war of quips. “Not yet. That’s why I’m here.” He pauses, then cocks his head, a mischievous grin breaking across his face. “Though … since we’re both here together, maybe we could help one another out?”

That catches her off guard. She stops typing and turns to look at him, eyebrow raised. “I thought you worked alone because you hated working with others almost as much as I do. You were just as hesitant to join up with everybody last year as I was. Maybe even more so in the end.”

He’s quiet for a moment, contemplative, but then he licks his lips and sighs. “Yeah, well don’t get too excited. It’s a one time only, limited engagement kind of situation.”

“Whatever you say,  _ Devil Boy _ ,” she says dryly as she turns back to the computer and continues her search. Having found one of the file folders she was looking for, she takes out a zip drive and plugs it into the USB port to begin transferring the files. She goes back to typing and searching for additional incriminating documents, ones which her client had promised she would find if she could look thoroughly enough when Matt’s head snaps to the right, mouth curling into a grimace. “What is it?” she asks. 

He sits still for a moment, face contorted in concentration. “Somebody else is here,” he says as he tracks some kind of sound from somewhere else in the building.

“What do you mean? I got information from my guy about the guard rotation schedule and took out all the guys in the stairwell and on the floor on my way down but they should still be out cold. Unless one of them already got back up, who else could there possibly be?”

“No, it’s not one of theirs. It’s somebody else it’s somebody… _super_.”

Jessica shoots him a withering look “Somebody ‘super’? What the hell does that mean?”

Matt shrugs then rubs the back of his neck. “It’s somebody special somebody with powers that are similar to ones I’ve seen before but not quite the same.”

Jessica rolls her eyes and goes back to typing. “Yeah, I’m going to pretend like any of that makes sense.”

Matt begins to pace and pick at the strings of the makeshift Muay Thai gloves that are part of his new all-black pajamas ensemble. “There’s something oddly familiar about the person’s power, but I can’t place it.” He stands still and cocks his head to the side as though gazing into the middle distance, a look of intense concentration on his face. “It’s like I smell ozone, but ozone mixed with gun-powder. That’s not a combination I’ve ever encountered before.”

Jessica cocks her head at him and gives him a puzzled look. “When have you encountered ozone before? That seems like a weirdly specific scent to pick up from somebody.”

“It is. But I swear I’ve got it before it was almost like what I would get from Danny when he would use his fist. But I never knew him to use a gun.”

Jessica frowns. “Well, no offense, but that really doesn’t make any fucking sense. Just a few weeks ago, Luke said that Danny was off gallivanting in Asia and trying to find a new magic fist for himself because … he lost his by giving it to Colleen? Or some shit. But now hers is white and she channels it through a katana … You know, like ‘ya do. So did you pick anything up about that?”

Matt shakes his head and frowns again as if trying to concentrate and pick up some other clue. “That doesn’t help me. Can you think of anybody else that the governor might’ve pissed off? Anybody else that might have a reason to go after him?”

Jessica huffs at him. “Who hasn’t the governor pissed off? But maybe when I’m done going through these documents, we’ll have something more concrete to go on.”

Matt suddenly turns to face the door where they came in and tenses, settling back into a fighting stance. “Yeah about that… you might want to hurry. I think they know we’re here.”

“Seriously? I thought the coast was clear except for the mystery ‘super’.”

Matt gives her a chagrined frown. “Well, it  _ was _ . But there was a guard downstairs who apparently woke up and started fighting this guy, but first he must’ve gotten up and called in some back up. We have a minute but we really need to hurry.”

Jessica sighs and curses under her breath. “This is what I get for trying to play nicely with others.” 

He scoffs. “I hardly think that this is playing nicely.”

She glares at him over the top of the computer monitor. “Murdock, if you’re going to say something, can you make it something useful? Maybe like an update about how far away those idiots are?”

Matt ducks his head and puts his hands on his hips before responding. “They’re on the elevator. One floor down, but that super’s blazing up the stairs right behind them. And, Jess, I know you’ll never believe this, but I really think it’s Danny.” 

Jessica’s fingers barely pause their typing as she gives him an incredulous scoff. “You’re right. I don’t believe you, but I guess we’ll see.”

Moments later, a cacophony rings out from the far end of the hallway as the elevator door slides open and a herd of footsteps come pounding down hall. But before they’re able to travel too far, the stairwell access door opens and a second set of footsteps, this one much more measured and calm, follow behind them. The mystery man calls out to the herd of men ahead of him, causing them to pause before they can reach the room where Jessica and Matt are hiding. As soon as the man speaks, the tension in Matt’s frame relaxes slightly and his mouth slides into an amused grin. Jessica’s eyebrows furrow as she strains to pick out any words or bits of conversations from the growing murmur of voices through the wall, but she has no success. Just as she is about to question Matt about what he is hearing, the scene outside devolves into chaos. 

Suddenly, a chorus of shouts rings out as an electric pulse ripples through the room, like the kind that Jessica remembers from when a bolt of lightning struck the neighbor’s tree during a thunderstorm when she was nine. It starts out in the hallway and wafts through into the office suite, making all of the hair on her body stand on end. The static pulse is followed directly by a round of alternating, staccato, piercing bursts of sound, like shots fired from a revolver. She swears she almost makes out a flurry of golden sparks shooting across the hallway through the plaster of the wall, but she blinks and they vanish. A millisecond later, as the sound of several large masses falling to the floor echoes down the hall, Jessica registers the crisp scent of ozone permeating the air and her brain grinds to a screeching halt. 

Even though it doesn’t make sense, standing here with the scent of ozone in the air and the hair on her arms still standing on end, she is reminded of all of the times a year ago that Rand used his fist. And she gets the inexplicable but unshakable feeling that no matter the strange new gun-like quality to the phenomenon, it’s Danny standing on the other side of the wall. Jessica shakes her head as if to clear the fantasy her brain has so elaborately concocted, and out of the corner of her eye, she notices Matt grimace and curse under his breath. She is in the process of turning to him and asking him, “What?” when a clicking and spraying sound overhead announces the reason that he’s suddenly upset. Because it’s suddenly raining.  _ Inside _ .

“Sprinklers? What the fuck?!” Jessica grunts as she frantically works to transfer the last few files and eject the zip drive before the computer in front of her starts to spark. 

Matt, finally broken out of his trance, hurries over to offer her what little additional cover from the sprinklers that he can. “Whatever power that Dan— uh, I mean that super used must have caused some kind of smoke to set off the alarms.” 

Files finally transferred, Jessica snatches the zip drive. She pushes back from the computer and stands up in one smooth, quick motion, shoving her hands in her pockets. “Coast clear?" she asks. Matt nods once, and that's all the confirmation she needs. "Then let’s get the hell out of here,” she barks, already heading for the hallway. 

Matt follows behind as she jogs up to the roof. Once they burst through the roof access door, they breathe a collective sigh of relief and start to shake off the water which has managed to drench them in such a short amount of time. 

“So, did you get it?” he asks as he takes off his mask and wrings it out, creating a puddle to rival the Hudson at his feet. It’s a simple question, but she hears the implied question he isn’t voicing.  _ This wasn’t all for nothing, right? _

Jessica rolls her eyes at him. “Yeah, I got it. No thanks to Rand. What an asshole. But that’s pretty much in line with his whole M.O. I guess. Hurting even when he tries to help. Where the hell did he get to, anyway?”

Matt stills at her mention of Danny’s name. “Wait— you believe me?” 

“How could I not? After whatever the hell that was in the hallway. And if it’s not Danny, it’s yet  _ another  _ asshole with crazy fucking mystical powers running around the city. And I don’t even want to consider the implications of that.” 

“Fair enough,” he chuckles. 

Jessica pushes her wet, unruly hair out of her face. “Listen, working together has been  _ great _ , but I think it’s time we go our separate ways. So I’m gonna go home and sort through the files. I guess I’ll … uh, let you know if I find anything you might find useful?”

Matt frowns for a minute before blinking and replacing his frown with a forced smile. “Sure thing, Jones. You know where to find me.” He tugs his mask back into place and walls to the roof access stairwell as Jessica turns and heads for the edge of the roof.

As she hikes one foot up onto the ledge of the roof edge but before she can hoist up the other, Matt’s voice cuts through the ambient sounds of the bustling city below them. 

“Hey, Jess— thanks for letting me tag along.”

She hesitates for a half-second before turning back to look his way, then immediately regrets her decision. The small but genuine smile on his face grates on her fraying nerves, further evidence of her terrible decision to have ever agreed to his proposal. Looking away, she sucks her teeth and shakes her head. 

“We’re still not partners, okay? So just forget that right now.” She steps back from the ledge and crosses a few paces toward him. “We just happen to be working the same case. And if that means we could experience a mutual benefit by sharing our knowledge and resources, fine. But you better watch it, because you’re skating on very thin ice, Murdock.” 

“Message received,” he says, barely swallowing a chuckle. 

She frowns at him then turns back toward the roof edge. “If I don’t call you first, meet me at my office tomorrow. 8:00,” she grunts over her shoulder. 

“A.M. or P.M.?”

Having reached the ledge again, Jessica simply turns to him, narrows her eyes, and stares.

“Right. Tomorrow night, then.”

“How do I already know I’m gonna regret this?” she grumbles under her breath as she launches herself off of the rooftop and in the direction of her apartment building. The sound of his chuckling floats and echoes like a ghost on the wind behind her for at least as long as it takes the glitter of the high-rise windows to disappear in her peripheral vision. 

———

As it turns out, Jessica calls Matt much before 8:00, but it’s with anything but good news. 

“Jess? Hey! What did you find? Something good, I hope, since you’re calling me at 2:00 in the afternoon.”

She wonders if he can her rolling her eyes in disappointment through the phone. “The opposite, actually. I found a hell of a lot of nothing. Well … almost nothing. The data’s there but it’s corrupted thanks to the waterworks. But considering what we would have found if Rand wouldn’t have started with the pyrotechnics, it feels like nothing. I’ll try to call my client, see if we can’t work out a new plan, but I can’t make any promises. This fucking blows.”

Matt sighs. “No kidding. Dammit. Well, there was nothing you could do. I’ll contact my source too, she if they can offer up anything else which might help us out. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”

When they hang up, Jessica feels marginally better. She’s confident one of them will come up with some kind of lead from their sources, but whether or not it will be what they need in order to get another hand up on the governor in time to sink his re-election campaign remains to be seen. She’s sure the security at the campaign office suite will no doubt be doubled following their break-in attempt the previous night, so that kills that idea. Hoping karma will cut her a break, she takes a quick sip from the bottle of Jim Bean sitting on her desk then calls her client.

———

And so, several hours later, that is how Jessica finds herself teaming up with Matt, against her better judgement, for the second night in a row. She had success with her contact, more than she expected, and with Matt’s help, was able to hatch a scheme so hare-brained to catch the governor in a scandalous act that it just might actually work. So as crickets chirp in the darkness around them and the sounds of the city create a mesmerizing kind of background noise, they hide in the alley behind a swanky brownstone, hunkering down and awaiting the arrival of a black town car which houses the governor and whichever fit, young man he has chosen to spend his evening with tonight, unbeknownst to his wife. 

Matt’s voice pulls Jessica out of her thoughts of how uncomfortable she is, reorienting her to the present. She still frowns at her left leg which has gone to sleep thanks to the position she’s been crouching in. 

“So, how exactly did you come to have this information about the governor’s … proclivities?” he asks. His tone is almost neutral, but Jessica can hear the hint of skepticism and judgment lacing it. 

“My source is good, if that’s what you mean,” she says, shooting him some side eye she hopes he can feel. “I’ve been in contact with one of the governor’s aides, and I have it on good authority that not only does he frequently use this location to meet up with his  _ companions _ , he has a block of unspecified time on his schedule tonight, signifying just such an encounter.” 

Matt blows out a strained breath and purses his lips as he rests his head back against the brick wall behind them. Jessica looks over and can practically see the internal war he is waging with himself playing across his face. 

“Look, I don’t resorting to black mail either, but it’s all we have at this point. We’ll still go after him for the money laundering and everything else, but at least this way we’ll have the photo to use as leverage if he offers any push-back or demands proof that we know what he’s been doing. If we don’t and he calls our bluff, it won’t matter that we’re right because we won’t be able to prove it.”

He’s silent for a moment, chewing his lip and considering her words. But eventually he relents. “You’re right. This whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.” 

She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “I know. But just consider the outcome. Greater good and all that. Aren’t you Catholics familiar with that concept?”

He huffs a flat chuckle at her, satisfied for the moment. Jessica pulls out her phone to check the time, and her shoulders sag in a minute measure of relief as she sees that it is nearly go-time. Opening her bag, she gently pulls out her camera, pops off the lens cap, and settles in for the best angle while still remaining hidden.

Moments later, a black town car pulls into the mouth of the alley and inches down toward their position. But as soon as the car turns off from the side street, Matt appears to be on edge. He perks up, head lilting to the side like a cat as though listening intently to make out some sound outside of Jessica’s range of hearing. Meanwhile, the car rolls to a stop, and a car door opens. Jessica watches with a sharp gaze as an impeccably dressed fifty-something with salt-and-pepper hair and a slate blue suit steps out. She lifts her camera, already beginning to position it and adjust the settings to begin snapping photos, but suddenly Matt puts a hand on her arm to still her movement. She can’t help but recoil and she snaps her head back to look at him, confused. Silently, Matt motions back toward the car, and she looks back in time to see a fit, blonde, curly-haired, twenty something stepping out of the car behind the governor. But as soon as she sees the back of the man’s head, Jessica’s heart stops. Because it’s a familiar head with familiar hair. She yanks her camera up and looks through the view-finder, using the telephoto lens to get a closer look and confirm what she only just suspected. 

Standing next to the governor is none other than Danny Rand.

Both Jessica and Matt remain stock-still in shock as the governor ushers Danny into his Brownstone from the alley entrance. A full beat passes after the door has closed behind them before either one of them can find their voice. When they finally do, it’s Jessica that speaks first. 

“Well …  _ fuck _ .”

“Pretty much,” Matt huffs as he rubs his temples through the black mask he wears. 

Unsure of what else to do, Jessica puts her camera away, instead reaching for the flask she carries in her inside jacket pocket. After taking a healthy swig, she wordlessly offers it to Matt. Much to her surprise, he takes it from her. After taking a healthy swig of his own, Matt blows out an exasperated sigh and offers the flask back to her.

“What the hell do we do now?” he asks. She thinks he is asking the universe as much as her. She knows the feeling.

“I don’t fucking know, but maybe one of us should call Luke and try to figure out what the hell is going on. If anyone has a clue what is up with Danny-- who is very much back in the city, by the way-- it would be him.” 

Matt sits up straighter, apparently feeling stronger just having a plan, no matter how useless it is. Jessica wishes she felt the same.

After making their way out of the alley and onto the opposite side street— where they can monitor the situation but maintain a bit of a safer distance— Jessica calls Luke. They don’t learn much from the conversation, other than the fact that if Danny was involved with the governor tonight, it was likely in his own attempt at getting information and saving the day, not because Danny had any interest in getting involved with the governor on a personal level. Matt scoffs when Jessica tries to relate this to him.

“Apparently Rand really took that whole ‘_Take care of my city_’ bullshit to heart. So thanks a lot for that, asshole,” she snaps at Matt after hanging up.

“What? Are you saying this is my fault?”

“Well, what did you think was going to happen?” Jessica says, crossing her arms.

“I don’t know. But definitely not this,” Matt offers weakly, looking chagrined.

“Whatever. We need to sort this out. If he really has been trying to play hero, there’s a chance he has the information we need. And if that’s the case, we need to get to him before the governor has the opportunity to find out he’s a plant and ruin this for all of us.”

Jessica sighs as she takes out her phone and dials the one person she never, in a million years imagined she’d call. 

When he answers, it’s the final ring and his voice is low and hushed, as if he is attempting to keep from being overheard. 

“Hello? _Jessica_?” She can hear the surprise plainly in his tone. It would almost be endearing if this whole situation wasn’t so obnoxious. 

“Hey, Danny. So, I assume you’re still with the governor…” Old habits die hard, and she can’t help the overly casual and flat voice she uses as she lobs that particular knowledge bomb at his feet. 

“Wh— but, I-I don’t … H-how did you know that?!” he stammers. 

“Look, we don’t have time for that right now. What you need to know is this: Matt and I have been on his tail trying to get proof of his money laundering and other nefarious deeds but we’ve hit multiple snags along the way. We saw you together tonight, trying to catch him cheating on his wife, though it seems you were a step ahead of us and trying to get the information yourself. Regardless, we’re hoping you can still get it and help us out by offering us a copy of whatever you find.”

“Absolutely. I mean, that’s why I’m here—”

“Good. Now listen, here’s what I need you to do…”

———

A few weeks later, on a Tuesday morning, Jessica wakes much earlier than she typically might. Because today is not just a normal day. 

Life, however, is generally back to normal. But it’s a new and improved normal, considering all Jessica and Matt have learned in a very short amount of time. They’ve learned all about Danny’s new powers, how he lost his original fist, and his trip to Asia to get his new, improved, pistol-fists. They’ve learned about Danny’s return to the states, his plan to take down the governor, and how he’d gotten involved with investigating the money laundering in the first place. They’ve also learned that it’s just a matter of time until the scandal breaks and the world is made aware of all of the ways that the governor has been abusing his office and the public’s trust, all of which they now have proof of and which Matt has given to Karen at The Bulletin. And today is the day when the world gets to know the truth. 

Knowing it’s the day she’s been waiting for and working toward for weeks now, Jessica feels good from the moment she wakes up. Accomplished. Lighter. Almost happy, or what she thinks happy used to feel like when she still felt it on a regular basis. She posts up at her desk, coffee and whiskey at the ready, and pulls up every major news outlet she can think of on her laptop. Then she waits. 

When the scandal finally breaks and the governor grudgingly makes his speech announcing his resignation, she breathes a sigh of relief. She can barely appreciate the feeling, though, because immediately following the news, her phone starts to buzz. And buzz. And buzz. Incessantly. Instinctively, she frowns at it, but she forces herself to pick it up. When she does, she finds a flurry of text messages. Confusion furrowing her brow, she opens them and then promptly snorts in derision when she registers the sender and the content. 

  
From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 10:57 am  
Did you see the news? We did some good work, Jones. Congrats.  
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 10:58 am  
But you know what this means, right?   
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 10:58 am  
I mean, at this point, you might as well add both Rand and me to your payroll. Or at least me, anyway.  
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 10:59 am  
How would that work, exactly? Would I be an actual employee or an independent contractor? Like, are we talking a W-2 or a 1098-T situation?   
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 10:59 am  
And what information would you need from me, for tax purposes? Social security number? Tax-ID? Bank account number? Or should I just assume you’ll violate my privacy and look all of that up on your own?   
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 11:00 am  
Ah, the joys of private investigating. I guess I should get used to that. I can hardly wait!  
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 11:00 am  
It’s always a pleasure doing business with you, Jess. I believe this is the start of a beautiful partnership.  
  


She barely has to pause to think, her response comes to her so quickly.   
  


To: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Sent: 11:01 am  
If you ever bring up partnership, teamwork, or working together in any form ever again, I’ll break your fucking toes—  
  


Before she can hit send, she is interrupted by another text. This one from Danny, of all people. Jessica quirks a brow as she opens it.  
  


From: Ironclad A.K.A. Rand   
Received: 11:03  
Hey Jess, thanks again for your help with the governor. I appreciate what you and Matt did to take him down. And speaking of Matt, what’s this I hear that he’s going into business with you? Some kind of official partnership or something? And that made me wonder … Can I join in? I think we’d all make a great team. But we should really consider getting the whole band back together and inviting Luke to join too. I’m sure he’d love the opportunity, and it couldn’t hurt to have someone bulletproof on our side. Just something to think about. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!  
  


Jessica curses as she bypasses her coffee entirely and reaches for the bottle of bourbon to her left on the desk and takes a hefty swig. It seems these two are determined to continue to insinuate themselves in her life, regardless of her feelings on the subject. And they’ll drag Luke along into the mess too, if they get their way. But if she’s stuck with a group of well-meaning idiots to offer her back-up and the occasional team-up at the expense of her pride, she supposes she really could do worse. At least they’re all of drinking age. That’s got to be the worst thing about the Avengers, from what she’s read. Rand may act like a teenager at times, but he’s not actually a high schooler, unlike that poor Parker kid from the Bronx with the spider hands or whatever the hell he’s got going on.

Chewing her lip as she picks her phone back up, she erases the text she had started writing to Matt and rewrites it, turning on the snark. When she’s done, she considers adding Danny to the recipients, and thanks to another shot of whiskey, for a moment she even considers adding Luke too. But then she thinks better of it and decides to address Danny and Luke individually after she’s given the matter a bit more thought. Matt, though … she doesn’t have to think to hard to know what to say to him.  
  


To: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Sent 11:07 am  
Don’t flatter yourself. I still work alone, both in name and in reality. If we ever do work together again, it’ll be on my terms. And you’ll be paying me. In alcohol. Not the cheap stuff.   
  


When Matt answers her minutes later, she can’t help but smile.   
  


From: Devil Boy A.K.A. Murdock  
Received: 11:12 am  
You drive a hard bargain, Jones. But I think with some time and some help from my lawyer (who you'll be hearing from), we’ll be able to come to an arrangement.  
  


Jessica laughs in spite of herself at the face that maybe this teamwork stuff won’t be all bad after all. 


End file.
